1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to composite roof and floor deck assemblies.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known in the art to provide a composite floor structure or deck having corrugated or ribbed metal sheets and concrete slabs supported on beams such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,527,372. These composite floor structures provide composite action between the overlying concrete slab and the corrugated sheet. Typically, these concrete slabs have been poured in place after the ribbed metal sheets have been secured to a structure. The concrete interacts with supporting I-beams having studs to prevent shear failure primarily between the concrete slab and the supporting I-beam and secondarily between the concrete slab and the corrugated decking, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,527,372. However, in some cases it is advantageous to attach the composite decking directly to wall structures, which may not require studs to be attached. In other cases, studs may not be provided. In either case, where studs are not provided, the possibility of shear failure of the concrete slab with the metal decking increases if the stud was the primary shear connector between the slab and metal deck. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,527,372 discloses the metal sheet ribs having closed ends so that the concrete poured to form the slab is prevented from entering into a hollow area defined by an inner surface of each rib.
Further, in cases where open-ended ribs are used in decking, problems exist with rodents and insects traveling within the ribs. This enables the rodents and insects to travel to various rooms and can be a problem in apartment buildings and condominiums. Furthermore, open-ended ribs provide little barriers for sound proofing. Typically, sound will travel through the ribs. Therefore, open-ended ribs may affect the privacy of adjacent apartments and condominiums because sound will travel through the open-ended ribs to adjacent units.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a structurally sound, inexpensive and improved composite deck.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a composite deck with improved sound proofing qualities.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a composite deck with improved rodent and insect control.
The present invention is a ribbed plate for a composite deck that includes a substantially planar plate having an upper surface and a lower surface, and a plurality of laterally-spaced, longitudinally-extending protruding ribs. Each of the ribs includes spaced apart sidewalls connected to a top wall. The walls are angled toward each other. The laterally-spaced, longitudinally-extending ribs extend from a first end of the planar plate to a second end of the planar plate. Each of the longitudinally-extending ribs has a first end and a second end that are closed, thereby defining a hollow chamber. When the upper surface of the planar plate is embedded in concrete, the concrete is prevented from flowing into the hollow rib chamber through the rib-closed first end and the closed end second end. Preferably, the rib-closed first end and rib-closed second end are integrally formed. A recessed concrete receiving area is defined and the rib-closed first end and the rib-closed second end extend along the lateral direction.
The recessed concrete receiving area is defined by one of the rib sidewalls, and adjacent portion of the planar plate and respective portions of the rib-closed first end and the rib-closed second end. Preferably, the rib plate is made of metal. Preferably, the top wall of each of the rib-closed first end the rib-closed second end slopes in a downwardly direction toward the adjacent planar first portions. Each of the ribs has a rib body positioned between the rib-closed first end and the rib-closed second end, wherein the rib body has one of a keystone or triangular profile. Each of the hollow rib chambers includes an open passageway defined on the lower surface of the substantially planar plate. Alternatively, the ribs are closed adjacent to the lower surface of the planar plate. Each of the rib bodies has a lateral width that decreases from the top wall toward the bottom surface. The planar plates can have lateral ends that each define portions of a rib so that a rib can be formed by adjacent lateral ribs of adjacent ribbed plates. The plate can also include an embossment extending from at least one of the top surfaces and/or walls of the ribs at the rib-closed first and rib-closed second ends and the plate positioned between adjacent ones of the ribs.
The present invention is also a composite deck that includes the above-described ribbed plate and a concrete layer positioned on the upper surface of the ribbed plate, whereby concrete surrounds the ribs and the ribs are embedded in the concrete. The ribbed sidewalls retard movement of the concrete, when the concrete layer is cured, in a lateral direction and portions of the rib-closed first ends and the rib-closed second ends retard movement of the cured concrete layer in the longitudinal direction. A plaster layer can be formed directly on the lower surface of the ribbed plate.
The present invention is also a structure that includes at least two longitudinally-spaced bearing walls and the above-described composite deck attached to the bearing walls. The bearing walls can be either a concrete wall or steel wall.
Furthermore, the present invention is a method for forming a ribbed plate for a composite deck that includes the steps of: (a) forming a plurality of laterally-spaced, longitudinally-extending ribs, wherein each of the ribs has a top wall connected to two converging sidewalls, a first end and longitudinally-spaced second end; and (b) deforming each of the rib ends so that the rib ends extend in a lateral direction and are closed. The method further includes the step of forming embossments on the top wall of at least one rib or on the plate positioned between adjacent ones of the ribs.